Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s reflections on law, legitimacy, and political authority remain central to the canon of political theory. His claim that every state governed by laws, irrespective of its form of administration, qualifies as a legitimate polity appears in The Social Contract (1762) and presents a radical redefinition of political legitimacy. For Rousseau, the crucial marker … Continue reading How does Rousseau’s assertion that every state governed by laws, irrespective of its form of administration, qualifies as a legitimate polity, and what implications does this have for theories of sovereignty, legality, and the foundations of political legitimacy?